First steps of the national council for private security activities (CNAPS)

by Frédéric OCQUETEAU – february 2014

Frédéric OCQUETEAU, sociologist, is a researcher at the CESDIP (CNRS). This paper presents the findings of his study on the new scheme for monitoring private security activities.

The CNAPS, a French public administration agency created by article 31 of the March 14, 2011 LOPPSI act and the December 21, 2011 founding decree, is presently manned by 214 agents. It is entirely funded by a tax paid by companies selling security services and by in-house security departments plus the fines inflicted for violation of the law. It was intended to replace the préfectures, previously in charge of regulating businesses on the security services market as well as in-house security departments by delivering, following an investigation, an authorisation to practice as first prescribed by a law dated July 12, 1983.

This new public agency has a twofold mission : first, to conduct preliminary investigation and to deliver certifications and authorisations to the staff and managers of companies corresponding to the domain defined by the law, through a central « single desk » system, in Paris. Second, to delegate decisional power to the CIACs (Commissions interrégionales d’agrément et de contrôle, inter-regional accreditation and control commissions) in any conflicts that might arise in controlling companies and their employees as to their entitlements and to any violations of the law.